Harpers Ferry Armory Site

West Virginia Historic Site

Much of the history of Harpers Ferry centers on its role as an armory for the U.S. Government. As early as 1796, the federal government recognized the strategic value of the confluence of the two rivers, and built an arsenal here in 1801. The armory manufactured thousands of rifles through the early 1860s. When Virginia seceded from the Union, the site became a major target. Before it was seized by Confederate soldiers, however, the Union succeeded in destroying many of the arms stored here.